by BBC Sport
AB de Villiers hit the fastest ever 150 in one-day internationals as South Africa condemned West Indies to a crushing 257-run defeat in Sydney.
De Villiers took 64 deliveries to reach 150, beating the previous best, set by Australia’s Shane Watson, by 19 balls.
He finished 162 not out from 66 balls as South Africa made 408-5, the second-highest total in World Cups.
Imran Tahir took 5-45 as West Indies were 151 all out, equalling the heaviest World Cup defeat by runs.
Only last month, De Villiers hit the fastest-ever ODI hundred against the same team in Johannesburg, from 31 balls.
In that same innings, South Africa’s captain also set the record for the fastest fifty in ODIs, from 16 balls.
The Proteas made a sluggish start and were 87-1 after 20 overs, before De Villiers came to the crease in the 30th over with his side 146-3.
De Villiers put on 134 with Rilee Rossouw (61 from 39) and South Africa scored 222 from the last 15 overs.
West Indies captain Jason Holder’s last two overs went for 64 runs, with one over going for 34. De Villiers finished with 17 fours and eight sixes, more than he had dot balls.
South Africa’s total was the highest by any team in Australia and only India’s 413-5 against Bermuda at Port of Spain in 2007 (which also finished in a 257-run victory for India) is higher in World Cups.
Hashim Amla (65) and Faf du Plessis (62) also made fifties for South Africa, while Holder, who conceded just nine runs in his first five overs, finished with figures of 1-104 off 10, the most expensive in World Cup history.
West Indies opener Chris Gayle, who scored the first double-hundred in World Cups against Zimbabwe on Tuesday, scored only three before he was bowled by Kyle Abbott.
Only Dwayne Smith (31) offered any resistance as leg-spinner Tahir tore through the West Indies batting, becoming the first South African spinner to take five wickets in a World Cup match.
